


What No-One Else Can See

by vix_spes



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Children of Earth Fix-It, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 12:44:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack doesn’t know what he’s done to earn yet another chance but he’s not going to screw this one up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What No-One Else Can See

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alafaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/gifts).



Jack knew that he should be sleeping, that there was so much that needed to be dealt with when the morning came – or when a more reasonable hour arrived, considering that the horizon was already started to turn a rosy pink – but how could he sleep after all that had happened? How could he sleep when Ianto was exactly where he belonged, at Jack’s side? He had the feeling that he wasn’t going to be letting Ianto out of his sight for a long time. Jack had long known the price of his immortality; the fact that he would always have to watch as those he loved grew old and died but he had consciously fought to avoid thinking about it where Ianto was concerned. Once he had been truthful with himself and admitted that, flirtations aside, Ianto was the only one that he truly wanted – that he loved – the thought of having to live without the Welshman was unbearable.

He still didn’t know how Ianto had survived the 456. There was no reasonable explanation that would mean Ianto _could_ have survived the 456. Nothing made sense. As amazing as he was, Ianto was only human and no mortal should have been able to survive what he had. Were it anybody else who had made it through this, Jack would have the urge to explore exactly how they had survived and run tests to try and discover how it had happened. Where Ianto was concerned, Jack didn’t feel that driving need for answers. Instead, all he felt was an overwhelming sense of relief that Ianto was simply alive. Jack had experienced loss many times over the years but never before had he felt this crushing sense of loss. The feeling that he wasn’t sure if he could carry on without Ianto, the only person who made his life truly worthwhile.

Ianto snuffled in his sleep and moved closer to Jack, even as Jack held his breath, hoping that Ianto would carry on sleeping for a bit longer. He supposed that the first thing he should do was to tell Ianto’s family that he was alive, contrary to what they thought. The problem was, as selfish as it was, Jack didn’t want anybody else to know that Ianto was alive yet because he didn’t want to have to share Ianto with anybody else. Still, he did know that he had to tell Rhiannon at least. Maybe he could persuade her to put off visiting for a few hours to give Ianto a bit more respite. He could definitely hold off telling Gwen for a little while. She needed to know, of course she did, but there was no way that Ianto would be able to withstand Hurricane Gwen.

Knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep now, Jack rolled onto his back slowly so that he didn’t wake Ianto but Ianto was sleeping the sleep of the dead and didn’t move an inch. Paranoia suddenly had Jack checking his pulse, only breathing again when he could feel the steady beating of Ianto’s heart and the warm breath gusting steadily over his neck. It was going to be a long time before Jack took Ianto’s presence for granted again, if he ever did. Slowly, he started making a mental list of the things that he needed to do.

For once, Torchwood wasn’t at the top of that list. For decades, Torchwood had been Jack’s priority, rising above himself, above Ianto, above everything. That was no longer the case. For a start, there was no Torchwood to speak of. The bomb that had killed Jack had completely wiped out the Hub. Decades of information, hundreds of pieces of alien technology that had come through the Rift and all of their equipment was currently buried under a heap of rubble. Jack didn’t even know what had happened to Myfanwy. Curiously, he found that he couldn’t care less that the Hub was currently just a gaping hole underneath the Plass and neither did he regret his apathy. Maybe it was time for him to start afresh, for them to start afresh.

Without Torchwood.

The more that he thought about it, the more appealing Jack found the idea of leaving Torchwood behind and it just being him and Ianto. What had Torchwood brought either of them in the last few years other than pain and heartbreak? More so for Ianto than Jack but neither of them had emerged unscathed. They were more than deserving of a holiday, some time away from Torchwood, where they would be beholden to nobody but themselves. Jack couldn’t remember the last time that he had had time off, if he had ever had time off, especially considering that he all but lived in the Hub. And Ianto’s time away from Torchwood wasn’t exactly associated with great memories considering that it had come after the incident with Lisa and after their time in the Brecon Beacons.

He wished that his wrist strap still worked properly and that it could transport both him and Ianto through the Rift. He could think of so many places that he wanted to take Ianto. With space and time not being an option that left them with Earth. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing; there were still plenty of places for him to take Ianto. He could just envisage Ianto in skimpy swimming trunks on a beach somewhere. He jerked out of his thoughts as a kiss was pressed to his collarbone. He had been so engrossed in plans of what they could do that he hadn’t noticed Ianto wake up. Blue eyes still heavy with sleep looked up at him a bit blearily even as Ianto nuzzled a bit closer.

“What’s got you thinking so hard?” Ianto could barely get the last word out around the huge yawn.

“You. Me. Us. Torchwood.”

“What about us? Is Torchwood even still standing?”

“No it’s not. It’s just a pile of rubble beneath the Plass. Who knows what, if anything is salvageable.”

“I’m sorry Jack; I know the Hub was your home.”

Jack smiled slightly and kissed Ianto’s temple. “Thank you but it isn’t my home, not really. It hasn’t been for a long time.” Even as he spoke, Jack knew that the words were true. Ever since their relationship had become more serious, Jack had started spending nights at Ianto’s flat and that place, where they were now, had instantly felt more like home than anywhere else ever had.

“And what were you thinking about us?”

Even after everything, there was still a trace of insecurity in Ianto’s voice and Jack hated that it was undoubtedly there because of him. “I was thinking that, given everything that’s happened and that Torchwood is under rubble, it was time for a new beginning.”

“For Torchwood?”

“For us.” Jack’s response was emphatic.

“What were you thinking?”

Jack ran a hand appreciatively along Ianto’s side and thigh. “I was thinking a holiday. You, me, no clothing and a deserted beach somewhere far, far away from Cardiff and Torchwood.”

“A holiday?” That clearly wasn’t the answer that Ianto had been expecting.

“A holiday Mr Jones. What do you think?”

“I think that’s the best idea that you’ve had in a long time Jack Harkness.” The smile on Ianto’s face was such a wonderful sight that Jack couldn’t resist the urge to kiss it off. Something that Ianto wasn’t going to complain about.

**Three weeks later…**

It had taken less time that Jack had expected to get everything sorted out; starting with informing the Davies family that Ianto was still alive. Gwen hadn’t taken too well to the news that, for the time-being at least, Jack had no intention of resurrecting Torchwood. Jack had pointedly ignored her protests and focused on retrieving what he could from the Hub and then planning his trip away with Ianto. Jack had only had two stipulations; that there were beaches and that they were as far away from Cardiff as possible. The location meant that Ianto had to wear one of Jack’s favourite three outfits for him (his tailored suits and the sinful jeans that he wore when he wasn’t working being the others); absolutely nothing at all.

Jack couldn’t help but leer as he propped himself up on one elbow and unabashedly stared at Ianto’s nude body. It had taken him three days to convince Ianto to dispense with his swimming trunks and even now he was still applauding his success. It was made even better when you took into consideration the blazing sun meant that Jack had to liberally slather all of that pale Welsh skin with sun cream on a frequent basis.

“I can feel you staring at me Jack. Why?”

“Are you complaining about me staring at you?”

One blue eye peeked at Jack, a hint of that mischievous glint that Jack loved; the one that normally resulted in an energetic game of naked hide and seek. “Only if you’re planning on not doing anything.”

“Oh, there’s plenty that I plan on doing to you.”

Jack pushed Ianto so that he was on his back with Jack hovering over him, “and I’m not going to waste a single moment. Here’s to our new beginning. I love you Jones, Ianto Jones.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/163019.html)


End file.
